Headscarf War Rages In Turkish Universities

The first official objection to allowing the use of the headscarf in state universities came from the Inonu University Senate, which forsees tension and conflict between students with different religious and political beliefs. University Rector, Fatih Himioglu, warned, “Permitting the headscarf will spark a regime crisis in Turkey. It will propgte down quickly to high schools and elementary schools.” The university Senate stated its objections: “Constitutional Court Decisions are binding on the legislative just like any other institution, and no amendment can run counter to the Constitution’s unalterable clauses.” Article 4 of the Constitutin forbidss changing or proposing a change in the first three articles. Article 2 states that Turkey is a secular republic. It is clear that the drive to open the path for the use of the headscarf in universities is meant as a tentative m oe toward changing the nature of th regime, read the statement.

It is clear university faculty regards the headscarf as an opening wedge to throttle free speech and behavior in higher education institutions. There is also fear once the headscarf is allowed in universities, the idea will spread to high school and the elementary grades where it is much more difficult for girls to resist demands to wear one. There is need for the Justice and Development Party to clarify its long term goals regarding use of the headscarf in education. Is it an opening wedge?

In the grand scheme of the Justice and Development Party of Turkey, the wearing of scarves around the head is an opening wedge, to change the very secular nature of Turkey’s government and society. When on or around 1920, there was a coup and the old and corrupt caliphate of the Ottoman “Empire” was replaced by the Ataturk government, the citizens of Turkey rejoiced. Gone were the days of, imprisonment for no apparent reason, the Islamic regime was replaced by one of the rule of law and no man stood above another by reason of birth into a “royal” family. True democracy replaced the rule of an autocrat or despot, who on a whim could raise a person or family from the depths of poverty, or destroy a family based upon some supposed action by one of its members. Turkey, started its road to becoming a full-fledged member of the world by working to become a member of the EU within the last 20 years. This is a troubling sign, the beginning of the end for the rule of law and the installation of Sharia law. You ask, How could wearing of a scarf around the head, be such a bad thing? For one, it is not in the Qur’an that women should cover their heads with anything other than modesty. It is only a cultural and societal norm in countries that have subjugated in the name of religion, their women that they have to cover and hide themselves from the outside world. This also includes, many sects of Judaism, who wish to hide their women, and deny them equality with men that choose to enforce this rule. Will the people of Turkey chose to regress and revert to the old an repressive ways of Sha’ria? Should they do this, it will seal the fate of their chances for gaining entry into the EU. For nowhere in the EU, will they stand for a government that chooses to oppress its women in such an outdated and regressive manner. People of Turkey, choose to live in the 21st century, do not regress to an outmoded and repressive manner of life, such as those who live in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and all those who live under the rule of an autocratic and despotic monarch.

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Fred Stopsky

you certainly raise many key ideas about the entire situation. I believe the real issue is not the debate about wearing a headscarf in a college classroom so much as will the headscarf impact girls in elementary and secondary schools.